83 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Famed Erickson house due for demolition



http://www.arthureri...com/H_grah.html

I know I am way late on this one, but what a shame to lose this one. Why buy an architectural masterpiece to knock it down?

[VicHockeyFan]

I know I am way late on this one, but what a shame to lose this one. Why buy an architectural masterpiece to knock it down?

It's a great-looking house, but so be it. If a private property owner wants it to go, it should go.

[Rorschach]

It looks a lot like Frank Lloyd Wright's "falling water" house. The owner must have more money than Oprah.

[Holden West]

It's a great-looking house, but so be it. If a private property owner wants it to go, it should go.

You're right of course, but there's still a lot of developable land without significant houses on them that could have satisfied this cretin. Sure, I could buy a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR and push it off a cliff but that doesn't mean I'm not the world's biggest asshole.

[yodsaker]

I guess he wants to build his own self-aggrandizing monument.
Wish I had his money, I'd be happy to live in that house.

[victorian fan]

Victoria heritage building to house a Rexall Drugs store



The bloom is coming back to the old Ballantyne's Florist building on the 900-block of Douglas Street.

The John Di Castri designed building, built 55 years ago and considered by city heritage expert Steve Barber to be an outstanding example of the Modernist movement in Victoria, is to be transformed into a 10,000-square-foot Rexall Drugs store.

"I'm thrilled to see it with a new use and one that will, hopefully, be there for a long time and bring some vibrancy to the corner," said Coun. Pam Madoff, who chairs the city's planning and land use committee that recommended the heritage-alteration approval.

"Although it's a small building, it's an incredibly sophisticated building. When you look at the level of detail on the main floor, it's quite extraordinary," Madoff said.

Located at the corner of Courtenay and Douglas, the building is notable for its sharp-cornered canopies. The canopies are to survive the renovation, although separate storefront entries will be replaced with a single Douglas Street access. The building was added to the city's heritage register last year.

The canopy above the new entry is to be inset with a glazed material although the edging is to remain solid. The existing canopies over the other bays will remain but the entrances will be removed. A small, single-storey addition is to be added to the rear of the building and a full seismic upgrade is to be done.

The planning committee was able to persuade the applicant to reconsider blue and white striped paint on the building's parapet that had the appearance of a large business sign, Madoff said.

"I'm hoping they might actually go back to the original type of signage, which were individual channel-cut neon letters that went on the ledgers above the front doors."

De Hoog and Kierulf Architects made the heritage alteration application on behalf of 912 Douglas Property Inc.

It's good to see the building will once again be put to good use, said Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe, a committee member.

"For many of us, it's [important] to maintain that building because it's on the heritage registry for modern buildings."

Barber said the building was one of Di Castri's earlier commissions and it reflects his interest in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Madoff said the alterations that were approved were minor.

"One of the reasons I was able to support it is because the interventions they are suggesting, as well as the modest addition, are all things that could be undone if someone chose to in the future.

"If you wanted to go back to the four individual store fronts versus one tenant, you could and there's nothing that's being so radically changed that it couldn't be brought back."

http://www.timescolo...0362/story.html

[aastra]

That would have been a pretty good spot for a small supermarket.

[victorian fan]

When they built it, I was surprised it was such a small building.

[aastra]

Considerably smaller than the building it replaced, as per the formula at that time.

[VicDuck]

That would have been a pretty good spot for a small supermarket.

Yeah, they really need a supermarket downtown.

[Pyroteknik]

Another supermarket or grocery store would be fantastic! I live in the area and while the Market on Yates is decent, it would be nice to have some competition nearby. Downtown is becoming more populated and the grocery store that exists seems to be struggling to keep up. There seems to be plenty of drug stores around already.

[gumgum]

^Yeah another boring pharmacy. How many are there in the area now? London Drugs, Shoppers, Peoples, the one on the corner of Fort and Broad, there's already a Rexall on Fort between Doug and Blanch - not to mention the others in Harris Green and James Bay.

Man, there are a lot of ill and/ or aging people in this town.

[Phil McAvity]

^yeah and they're all moving downtown so they can ***** about how oppressively tall the buildings are and how noisy it is.

[Mike K.]

I didn't know John Di Castri designed single family dwellings, but a rare gem of his has shown up on MLS. The home is situated in Colwood just a stones throw from the Esquimalt Lagoon and according to the info it's the first time the home has been on the market. The listing doesn't mention the year of construction, though.

MLS listing: http://www.realtor.c...Key=-1295333499

[VicHockeyFan]

Reduced from 699k in April, btw:

http://victoria-bc.c...od_2592067.html

[G-Man]

That is a very cool looking house. Need to see if I can find it on MLS. I want to see the inside.

[G-Man]

Nice inside too. Seems like a good deal at 579 of course you have to live way out in Colwood so you would have to commute.

[amor de cosmos]

more modernist buildings than you can shake a stick at
http://www.maltwood....rchitecture/ma/

[Sparky]

I have always liked this one overlooking Green Lake in Seatle. Probably built in the mid 50's

http://maps.google.c...YhnGzOUK010HjlA